# My 100 cigar humidor fan setup



## Lazzzzze (Dec 30, 2010)

Most of the fan systems I've seen inside humidors are for those that can store 300+ with multiple levels and compartments. Well, I don't have one of those as mine can only hold 100 cigars. But darn it, I still want to be able to circulate the air to keep a constant humidity level all throughout and allow the cigars to age as fast as possible! Plus it'll give me one more thing to play with as well as peace of mind that I'm doing everything I can to make those stogies the best they can be! Here are the steps I took.



I'm using a 30mm computer fan and some Q-tips I super glued on as a stand. I had to sand down the Q-tips to make them actually adhere to the fan. I clipped the third yellow wire because it just tells the computer it's current rpm.



This is where I got the fan. It got ripped out of an old Compaq.



In order to control the fan's speed, I needed some way to regulate the voltage. I bought this dimmer for 5 bucks at home depot. I found a male and female end off some old cords and soldered them to the dimmer.



And here it is, with a final wrapping of duct tape. It's a little ugly but it's going to be in the corner and hardly seen. Sue me.

Luckily I found an old AC adaptor that used the correct voltage I needed. Soldered the fan to it and bang, it works!



My humidor. You can see why I need such a small fan when it's in conjunction to the box. It can only hold about 100 cigars at most. I also bought a digital hygrometer which after I tested, reads 1% low. Not bad. I also made a little shelf for it so it opens along with the lid. Sweetness.



I have the fan on a digital timer I got. It runs for a half hour every two hours.



Gotta protect those quality Gurkhas! I removed the upper shelf and placed the fan near my DR shot glass containing distilled water. I'm solely relying on the Spanish cedar lining for that 70% RH.



And there you have it, my fan system. I forgot to mention I soldered the fan to an old ATA ribbon cable first so I could actually close the lid.


----------



## TXsmoker (Sep 6, 2010)

Its not really a big enough humi to need a fan. And I would throw some beads/kitty litter/humi paks/something other than just a shot of water in there.


----------



## thebayratt (Jun 4, 2009)

*Good job Paul!* :thumb:

I think I would get rid of the dimmer, _unless _the AC/DC adapter by its self spins the fan too much. If the AC/DC adapter spins the fan too much, then you did the right thing adding the dimmer.


----------



## gibson_es (Jan 23, 2010)

i like the handy work, good job! agreed the fan is not needed, but it cant hurt either!

my only concern:
is the cord that runs under the lid causing it not not properly seal? thus leaking RH?



and beeds/kitty litter/humi packs are a must in my book.


but over all i do have to give you a thumbs up for the leg work.


----------



## Tman (Sep 12, 2010)

Nice work on the setup! :tu Always interesting to see what people can come up with using commonly found materials.


----------



## Lazzzzze (Dec 30, 2010)

I absolutely need that dimmer. Despite being a rinky dinky laptop fan, that thing can really move some air and was causing the humidity to rise to the mid eighties. And yes I do have 4 drymistats on the way. I marked the lowest setting I can achieve on the dimmer dial and only go slightly above that, unless I have had the lid open for a while.

The lid is a hair shy from fully closed but my hygrometer has been reading a cool 72% so no harm done.

And yes, I know those cigars would still be fine without the fan but I had fun. Knowing they'll age 2.3% faster over the next 5 years is good enough for me.


----------



## BMack (Dec 8, 2010)

I would think that there would be an issue with the seal. You'd probably want to move the ribbon cable to the front, the furthest from the hinge. Think of the cable as a wedge, the closer to the hinge(pivot point) the more dramatic effect it has as a wedge.


----------



## gibson_es (Jan 23, 2010)

too bad you cant rig it to a small batt and leave it all in the humi, but that would take up way to much room, but trust me, that seal is compromised and it shouldnt be left like it is for prolonged periods of time, i agree to try and move it to the front of the humi and see if that helps at all, if you move it to the front and lock it everytime its closed to keep the lid held down, you might feel more comfortable with it.


----------



## Zfog (Oct 16, 2010)

I love to see such passion for cigars. Its all about having fun!


----------



## szyzk (Nov 27, 2010)

+1, Lazzzzze! I was thinking about doing something very similar, although with a series of two or three fans, when/if I pick up a Waxing Moon footlocker.


----------



## MoreBeer (Feb 13, 2010)

I'm a big Fan of Fan's. The inventiveness on this site is quite amazing. Always new and good info everyday. Nice job!

BTW, I agree, get rid of the shot glass and put some beads in there.


----------



## foxracer72 (Nov 23, 2010)

never seen that before in a desktop, great job!


----------



## centralharbor (May 20, 2010)

Just a suggestion, but instead of using a dimmer, use an ac adapter that outputs low voltage. I guess it would be trial and error, but if you pair the right ac adapter with the fan you have, you won't need the dimmer.


----------



## fivespdcat (Nov 16, 2010)

Great Job, but I can't help but think why not just use a battery with resistors inline?


----------



## Lazzzzze (Dec 30, 2010)

Well I added a very flat ribbon which allowed the seal to fully close. I also noticed since adding the fan, my analogue hygrometer is reading 70% opposed to 60% before. I thought it needed to be calibrated but now it reads perfectly equal with the digital one. Seems the humidity wasn't constant in all the same places, despite it only being a desktop humidor. So to all you people who said this wasn't necessary, in the famous words of Arnold Schwarzenegger:

WRONG!


----------



## tiger187126 (Jul 17, 2010)

i just threw a little jar of that gel in their and it's at 65% like a rock.

to each his own, and nice work rigging that bad boy up.

whatever works for you, as long as you protect your sticks.

if not we'll have to send cigar services over there to take them away to a foster humidor where they'll be treated right.


----------



## fivespdcat (Nov 16, 2010)

tiger187126 said:


> i just threw a little jar of that gel in their and it's at 65% like a rock.
> 
> to each his own, and nice work rigging that bad boy up.
> 
> ...


I've got a good home for them, and I'm always willing to adopt!eace:


----------



## thegoldenmackid (Mar 16, 2010)

TXsmoker said:


> Its not really a big enough humi to need a fan. And I would throw some beads/kitty litter/humi paks/something other than just a shot of water in there.


My thoughts... although I can't see it hurting.


----------



## TXsmoker (Sep 6, 2010)

Lazzzzze said:


> Seems the humidity wasn't constant in all the same places, despite it only being a desktop humidor. So to all you people who said this wasn't necessary, in the famous words of Arnold Schwarzenegger:
> 
> WRONG!


Incorrect. Its a fact that analog hydrometers need airflow to be accurate. Most that are considered useless are only usless in a small humidor. Electronic hydrometers are way more sensitive and thus dont need the amount of airflow to be accurate. I doubt VERY seriously that you actualy had lower RH anywhere in that little humi. My humi is a little larger than that, and without any fans in it, I had 5 digital hydrometers in different places all reading the same thing. The one analog hydrometer was reading low. When placed beside an electronic hydrometer in my living room with a fan 3 feet away, they both read the same. IMHO (no offence meant) adding a fan to that small of a humi serves no purpose, and might cause damage. Have you checked to see if the fan brings up the temp? Its a small space and electric motors do put off heat.


----------



## MATADOR (Nov 12, 2010)

Looks good. To each his own


----------



## Lazzzzze (Dec 30, 2010)

TXsmoker said:


> Incorrect. Its a fact that analog hydrometers need airflow to be accurate. Most that are considered useless are only usless in a small humidor. Electronic hydrometers are way more sensitive and thus dont need the amount of airflow to be accurate. I doubt VERY seriously that you actualy had lower RH anywhere in that little humi. My humi is a little larger than that, and without any fans in it, I had 5 digital hydrometers in different places all reading the same thing. The one analog hydrometer was reading low. When placed beside an electronic hydrometer in my living room with a fan 3 feet away, they both read the same. IMHO (no offence meant) adding a fan to that small of a humi serves no purpose, and might cause damage. Have you checked to see if the fan brings up the temp? Its a small space and electric motors do put off heat.


Hum that's interesting, I didn't know analogue hygros needed airflow. From experience, I'd just give it a slight tap whenever the needle got stuck. I still think the fan helps a bit because cigars age faster with moving air as opposed to stagnant air. I also could use some of the heat it produces as it likes to be in the mid 60s naturally in there.


----------



## TXsmoker (Sep 6, 2010)

Lazzzzze said:


> Hum that's interesting, I didn't know analogue hygros needed airflow. From experience, I'd just give it a slight tap whenever the needle got stuck. I still think the fan helps a bit because cigars age faster with moving air as opposed to stagnant air. I also could use some of the heat it produces as it likes to be in the mid 60s naturally in there.


Its a sensitivity thing. Cheap ones arent always inaccurate, they just lack the sensitivity to work in a still enviroment. I would consider the 60s an ideal aging temp. What would worry me would be a temp spike when the fan comes on. If the fan brings the temp up a few degree's every time it comes on, and it cools back down qucikly thereafter, wouldnt that be bad for the cigars? Also, I thought the idea of having fans in a humidor would be only to maintain an even humidity? Doesnt too much airflow over a cigar wick away the oils that give it flavor? The way I see it, they age packed tight in a closed box or as singles as long as the humidity is right.


----------



## Lazzzzze (Dec 30, 2010)

"Doesnt too much airflow over a cigar wick away the oils that give it flavor? The way I see it, they age packed tight in a closed box or as singles as long as the humidity is right."

That is an interesting question and inspired me to do a bit of research. It seems cigars lose their oils by either being exposed to very low humidity or differing humidity levels. The expanding and contracting of the cigar exhausts the oils thus making aging pointless and the cigar tasteless. The oils want to travel out toward the wrapper of the cigar because that is where the air is. The oils want to oxidize. More airflow seems like it would accelerate this process. I didn't read anywhere of the oils being blow away. The key is to avoid fluxuating humidity.


----------



## Lazzzzze (Dec 30, 2010)

Lazzzzze said:


> "Doesnt too much airflow over a cigar wick away the oils that give it flavor? The way I see it, they age packed tight in a closed box or as singles as long as the humidity is right."
> 
> That is an interesting question and inspired me to do a bit of research. It seems cigars lose their oils by either being exposed to very low humidity or differing humidity levels. The expanding and contracting of the cigar exhausts the oils thus making aging pointless and the cigar tasteless. The oils want to travel out toward the wrapper of the cigar because that is where the air is. The oils want to oxidize. More airflow seems like it would accelerate this process. I didn't read anywhere of the oils being blow away. The key is to avoid fluxuating humidity.


Ok, after some more research, I found excessive airflow is indeed harmful because of excess evaporation, thus causing the cigars to dry out while still keeping the humidity the same. I'll keep the fan speed low and pointed away from any cigars. Here's the link:

Humidor Fan - CigarFamily.com -- Official Site of the Arturo Fuente and J.C. Newman Cigar Family


----------



## Mr_Black (Dec 1, 2010)

Neat project!


----------



## baderjkbr (Jun 21, 2010)

I hope you keep this thread updated. I'm interested to see how this works out.


----------



## rcruz1211 (Aug 4, 2008)

Very cool setup. I know people use those oust fans but where is the fun in that!


----------



## Josh Lucky 13 (Dec 23, 2010)

Should get a larger fan with leds like a computer case. that way you know when the fan is running or not. But thats probably a bit too much for a humidor.


----------



## UIVandal (Dec 23, 2010)

that's a cool setup, not sure how vital it is but it's cool!

if the humi seals fine, and RH is maintaining, I say good job!


----------

